JAGUAR PLANS FOR REUSE OF ITS CAR BATTERIES

Jaguar Land Rover, Connected Energy, the University of Warwick and Videre Global are to collaborate on a second-life battery research project in the UK.

The £1.3 million project is co-funded by an Innovate UK grant awarded last month and will see second-life batteries from Jaguar Land Rover electric vehicles trialled in domestic applications.

Earlier this year Jaguar Land Rover confirmed that from 2020 it would only manufacture pure-electric or hybrid cars.

Connected Energy will adapt its E-STOR energy storage technology to integrate the Jaguar Land Rover batteries, while the University of Warwick’s research arm – WMG – is to conduct various other works on second-life modules.

Connected Energy’s Matthew Lumsden said the new project would focus on extending the value chain of second-life batteries in the UK.

It is the latest in a range of deals signed by electric vehicle manufacturers to examine the potential for their batteries to find applications after their use for EVs has diminished. Nissan and Eaton have combined to develop the xStorage system which is available for UK households now, while Renault partnered British manufacturer Powervault for a similar deal this summer.